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Synonyms

expertise

1 American  
[ek-sper-teez] / ˌɛk spərˈtiz /

noun

  1. expert skill or knowledge; expertness; know-how.

    business expertise.

  2. a written opinion by an expert, as concerning the authenticity or value of a work of art, manuscript, etc.

expertise 2 American  
[ek-sper-tahyz] / ˈɛk spərˌtaɪz /

verb (used with or without object)

Chiefly British.
expertised, expertising

  1. expertize.

expertise British  
/ ˌɛkspɜːˈtiːz /

noun

  1. special skill, knowledge, or judgment; expertness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of expertise

First recorded in 1865–70; from French: “survey, report (made by experts),” with -ise understood as an abstract noun suffix; expert, -ise 2

Explanation

When you're an expert at something, you show expertise — or an exceptional knowledge of the subject. "He had expertise in accounting, having excelled in math, but he had even more expertise in dancing, his hobby since a small child." Expertise has obvious roots in the word expert. Just about any interest or field has a place for experts. Just as one individual has expertise in world religions, another may have expertise in computer gaming. Working hard or immersing yourself in a specialty leads to expertise, and it comes through both study and hands-on experience.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing expertise

Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 41-50

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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Eight

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English Words Derived from French, List 4

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

CFAs have more technical expertise and usually pursue careers in risk or portfolio management.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Desjardins analyst Benoit Poirier thinks the positioning increases the likelihood that Amazon will seek external expertise, which could create new collaboration opportunities for MDA as Amazon builds out its network.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

His expertise has since been sought by major institutions such as Atlanta's Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the University of Texas' Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, and the Tellus Science Museum.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

It soon came to provide crucial expertise and support to thousands of local election officials grappling with increasingly sophisticated attacks.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Knowing that the duke will welcome military expertise, Leonardo says that he’s an engineer who can dig underground tunnels.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.